How to claim
Complete the following steps to apply for Child Care Subsidy (CCS). Before you start, check if you can get it.
1: Child Care Subsidy – guide to claim
We’ll guide you through the claim process for new claims. We’ll also help you update an existing claim to add another child.
A Child Care Subsidy claim can be backdated up to 28 days.
Keep in mind, you can’t make a lump sum claim for Child Care Subsidy.
Before you start, check if you’re eligible for Child Care Subsidy.
2: Do you already get Child Care Subsidy and want to add another child?
3: How to add another child to an existing Child Care Subsidy claim
If you already get Child Care Subsidy, you can add another child to your claim.
Once you’ve signed into myGov, follow these steps:
- Select Centrelink.
- Select Child Care from the families menu.
- Select Add child to Child Care Subsidy.
- Start your claim and answer the questions about your situation.
- Review and confirm your claim.
If this option isn’t available, you’ll need to start a new claim.
5: You can track your claim for Child Care Subsidy
You may need to provide supporting documents to progress your claim.
To track your claim you can use either your:
- Centrelink online account through myGov
- Centrelink Express Plus mobile app.
We’ll let you know the result of your claim. We'll send a message to your myGov Inbox. If you don’t get electronic letters, we’ll send you a letter in the mail.
If you’ve completed your claim but your child’s enrolment details haven’t been confirmed, you must take action. Ask your provider to submit your child’s enrolment. You’ll then need to check the details and confirm them. You can do this through your Centrelink online account.
If you don’t agree with the decision we’ve made about your claim call the Families line. If you still don’t agree, you can ask us to review our decision.
We can help if you’re in crisis or need special help while we process your claim.
6: Are you claiming for yourself as the person who is liable for the fees?
You can choose a person or an organisation to be your correspondence or payment nominee with Centrelink. To claim on someone else’s behalf as a nominee you must be authorised. This is a different arrangement to claiming as a parent or guardian who is liable for the fees.
If you’re claiming as a nominee, select No.
7: Do you have a Nominee arrangement in place?
To claim on someone else’s behalf you must be authorised.
The person you’re claiming for must nominate you to be their Centrelink Correspondence Nominee.
8: Adding a Nominee arrangement
You need to have an arrangement in place to claim on someone else’s behalf.
The person you’re claiming for will need to start the process. Read about how to add a Nominee arrangement using your online account.
10: You can claim over the phone
If you can’t claim online, call us on the Centrelink families line.
You don’t need to go to a service centre to make a claim. If you're feeling unwell, or need to isolate yourself at home, please don't visit our service centres.
12: Do you have a Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN)?
If you don’t have one or can’t remember your CRN, select No.
13: Create a myGov account and link Centrelink to claim
To claim a payment you need a myGov account linked to Centrelink. If you don’t have a myGov account, it’s easy to create one.
Follow these steps.
- Go to myGov and select Create an account.
- Read the Terms of use. If you agree to the terms, select I agree.
- Enter your email address, then confirm this address using a code we email to you.
Your myGov account must use a unique email address. You can’t use the same email for another myGov account. - Enter your mobile number, if you have one. If you enter a number you’ll get a code sent to it each time you sign in to your myGov account.
- Create a password and 3 secret questions and enter answers.
- You’ve created your myGov account, select Continue to myGov.
To link Centrelink you’ll need your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN).
To claim a payment you need Centrelink linked to your myGov account. If you have a CRN you can link Centrelink to your myGov account.
Follow these steps to link to Centrelink and make a claim.
- In myGov, select Continue from the Government support for Coronavirus alert.
- Select I have a CRN and follow the prompts to link Centrelink to your myGov account.
- Select Centrelink from your linked services to go to your Centrelink online account.
- Select Make a claim or view claim status from your homepage.
- Select Get Started from the Families menu.
- Select Child Care Subsidy.
- Answer the Eligibility check questions first.
- Start your claim and answer the questions about your situation.
- Review and confirm your claim.
15: Create a myGov account and prove who you are to link to Centrelink
To claim a payment you need a myGov account linked to Centrelink. If you don’t have a myGov account, it’s easy to create one.
Follow these steps.
- Go to myGov and select Create an account.
- Read the Terms of use. If you agree to the terms, select I agree.
- Enter your email address, then confirm this address using a code we email to you. Your myGov account must use a unique email address. You can’t use the same email for another myGov account.
- Enter your mobile number, if you have one. If you enter a number you’ll get a code sent to it each time you sign in to your myGov account.
- Create a password and 3 secret questions and enter answers.
- You’ve created your myGov account, select Continue to myGov.
After you prove who you are through myGov by entering some details about you, you’ll get a CRN. We’ll check if you already have a CRN or create one and link Centrelink to your myGov account.
Follow these steps.
- In myGov, select Continue from the Government support for Coronavirus alert.
- Select I need a CRN.
- Follow the prompts to enter your identity details.
- Enter information from your Medicare card.
- Enter some personal details and we’ll check them against our records.
- We’ll link Centrelink to your myGov account and you’ll then have a Centrelink online account.
- You’ll need identity details from one of these documents:
- current Australian passport
- Australian birth certificate
- Australian citizenship certificate
- Australian visa.
You’ll also need identity details from one of these documents:
- Australian driver licence
- ImmiCard issued by the Department of Home Affairs
- Australian Citizenship by Descent Certificate.
You can now start your claim for a payment. Before you can submit your claim, you’ll need to visit a service centre to complete our identity requirements. You’ll need to give us an acceptable photo identity document as well as any other documents we may ask for.
If you can’t prove who you are online to get a CRN, call us on the Centrelink families line.
Once you’ve signed in to myGov and linked Centrelink, follow these steps:
- Select Centrelink.
- Select Make a claim or view claim status from your homepage.
- Select Get started from the Carers menu.
- Select Child Care Subsidy.
- Answer the Eligibility check questions first.
- Start your claim and answer the questions about your situation.
- Review and confirm your claim.
We’ll tell you if you need to do anything else to complete your claim. We may ask you for supporting documents to submit your claim.
18: Is your myGov account linked to Centrelink?
You need to link your myGov account to Centrelink to make your claim.
19: Do you have a Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN)?
If you don’t have one or can’t remember your CRN, select No.
20: Sign in to myGov and prove who you are to link Centrelink
To claim a payment you need a Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN) and a Centrelink online account linked to myGov. You can get a CRN online by proving your identity through myGov and entering some details about you. We’ll check if you already have a CRN or create one, and link Centrelink to your myGov account.
Follow these steps:
- Sign in to myGov.
- Select Continue from the Government support for Coronavirus alert. Then select I need a CRN.
- Follow the prompts to enter your identity details.
- Enter information from your Medicare card.
- Enter some personal details and we’ll check them against our records.
- We’ll create a Centrelink online account and link to your myGov account.
You’ll need identity details from one of these documents:
- current Australian passport
- Australian birth certificate
- Australian citizenship certificate
- Australian visa.
You’ll also need identity details from one of these documents:
- Australian driver licence
- ImmiCard issued by the Department of Home Affairs
- Australian Citizenship by Descent Certificate.
Before you can submit a claim for payment, you need to complete our identity requirements. You need to give us an acceptable photo identity document at a service centre.
If you can’t prove your identity online to get a CRN, call us on the Centrelink families line.
21: How to claim after linking Centrelink to your myGov
Once you’ve signed in to myGov and linked Centrelink, follow these steps:
- Select Centrelink.
- Select Make a claim or view claim status from your homepage.
- Select Get started from the Families menu.
- Select Child Care Subsidy.
- Answer the Eligibility check questions first.
- Start your claim and answer the questions about your situation.
- Review and confirm your claim.
We’ll tell you if you need to do anything else to complete your claim. We may ask you for supporting documents to submit your claim.
For help, use our online guide to claim Child Care Subsidy.
22: Sign in to myGov and make a claim in Centrelink
Follow these steps:
- Sign in to myGov and go to Centrelink.
- Select Make a claim or view claim status from your homepage.
- Select Get started from the Families menu.
- Select Child Care Subsidy.
- Answer the Eligibility check questions first.
- Start your claim and answer the questions about your situation.
- Review and confirm your claim.
We’ll tell you if you need to do anything else to complete your claim. We may ask you for supporting documents to submit your claim.
For help, use our online guide to claim Child Care Subsidy.
23: Sign in to myGov and link to Centrelink with your CRN
To claim a payment you need a Centrelink online account linked to myGov. When you have a CRN we can create an Centrelink online account for you and link it to your myGov account.
Follow these steps:
- Sign in to myGov then select Continue from the Government support for Coronavirus alert.
- Select I have a CRN and follow the prompts to link Centrelink to your myGov account.
- Select Centrelink from your linked services.
- Select Make a claim or view claim status from your homepage.
- Select Get Started from the Families menu.
- Select Child Care Subsidy.
- Answer the Eligibility check questions first.
- Start your claim and answer the questions about your situation.
- Review and confirm your claim.
We’ll tell you if you need to do anything else to complete your claim. We may ask you for supporting documents to submit your claim.
For help, use our online guide to claim Child Care Subsidy.
24: After you claim over the phone
We'll contact you if we need more details.
We'll send you a letter to let you know your claim outcome. If your claim is successful, we’ll let you know:
- when you’ll get your first payment
- how much you’ll get.
To track your claim you can use either your:
- Centrelink online account through myGov
- Centrelink Express Plus mobile app.
If you’ve completed your claim but your child’s enrolment details haven’t been confirmed, you must take action. Ask your provider to submit your child’s enrolment. You’ll then need to check the details and confirm them. You can do this through your Centrelink online account.
If you don’t agree with the decision we’ve made about your claim call the Centrelink families line. If you still don’t agree, you can ask us to review our decision.
25: After you claim online
After you submit your claim online, you’ll get a receipt telling you:
- the ID number of your claim
- the date we estimate your claim will be complete.
To track your claim you can use either:
Select Child Care Subsidy from the menu, then Child Care Subsidy Summary to view the outcome.
If you’ve completed your claim but your child’s enrolment details haven’t been confirmed, you must take action. Ask your provider to submit your child’s enrolment. You’ll then need to check the details and confirm them. You can do this through your Centrelink online account.
If you don’t agree with the decision we’ve made about your claim call the Families line. If you still don’t agree, you can ask us to review our decision.
26: After you submit your updated claim
We'll send you a letter to let you know your claim outcome. If your update is successful, we’ll let you know:
- when you’ll get your first payment
- how much you’ll get.
To track your claim you can use either your:
- Centrelink online account through myGov
- Centrelink Express Plus mobile app.
If you’ve completed your claim but your child’s enrolment details haven’t been confirmed, you must take action. Ask your provider to submit your child’s enrolment. You’ll then need to check the details and confirm them. You can do this through your Centrelink online account.
If you don’t agree with the decision we’ve made about your claim call the Centrelink families line. If you still don’t agree, you can ask us to review our decision.
If you get Child Care Subsidy, you have an ongoing responsibility to keep your information up to date.
Page last updated: 18 January 2021
This information was printed 18 October 2021 from https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/child-care-subsidy/how-claim. It may not include all of the relevant information on this topic. Please consider any relevant site notices at https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/site-notices when using this material.